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A24
commentary
Guardian www.guardian.co.tt Saturday, April 18, 2015
Prime Minister Kamla
Persad-Bissessar had
a backhand for Opposition
leader Keith Rowley during
yesterday s Parliament
question time when he
asked about former high
commissioners returning to
T&T "to campaign."
"No they didn t do so (to
campaign), but I wonder if
allthe12or13PNMMPs
will be campaigning for the
PNM... I notice they don t
even come to the House, I
think he s scared of the
campaigning in Diego Mar-
tin North East..." the PM
shot back.
Doing its own campaign-
ing of sorts against Rowley,
Government continued yes-
terday s third leg of debate
of its no-confidence motion
against him to empty PNM
seats. Questions on where
the Government is heading
with the one-sided debate---
while other national issues
simmer---might be entirely
plausible (beyond the fact
that Government s criti-
cisms of Rowley are being
chronicled on the Parlia-
ment record without rebut-
tal.)While PNM MPs again
walked out at 3.30 pm
before debate resumed, sup-
port for their action lacked
the support of PNM Laven-
tille West MP Nileung
Hypolite who left the cham-
ber around 3.10 pm and
wasn t with his leader and
colleagues when they exited
later. Last week PNM s
Amery Browne was also
missing from their walkout
since he was absent. But
Browne was with them yes-
terday.
Both Hypolite and
Browne are now officially
out of PNM s candidacy
pickings. Browne said yes-
terday, "My commitment to
serving citizens hasn t
diminished and I ll have
more to say in that regard
in future but, for now, I
completely, categorically
reject any suggestion that
anyone in Diego Martin
Central should engage in
any form of No Amery No
Vote Campaign which
wouldn t be in the best
interest of the people."
Hypolite s successor can-
didate Fitzgerald Hinds has-
n t yet embarked on walk-
abouts, the executive
confirmed but will start a
radio programme soon.
There are concerns that
Hinds doesn t command
support beyond a third of
the 24 party groups, exec-
utive officials added, noting
Eastern Quarry members
weren t open to having an
electronic PR sign in that
area last week.
They said views on Hinds
would be heard by PNM
soon, that not all seats were
safe and that PP people have
been in the area. PP officials
confirmed Sports Minister
Brent Sancho is "working
with sports people" there.
PNM Mayaro officials
who said Clarence Ramb-
harath has been busy criss-
crossing the constituency,
added it was difficult to say
yet if expected COP sup-
port---where his family were
members---is in the bag.
They hope for possible frag-
mentation in PP s Mayaro
camp if incumbent Winston
Peters faces challenges from
two businesspeople. PP offi-
cials had no comment.
Wednesday s UNC
national executive meeting
taking stock of positions in
and out of Parliament solid-
ified election footing. While
PP steps have been meas-
ured allowing PNM out of
the box first, showing its
plans and candidates, PP
has clearly been counter-
planning though its low
profile has led to perception
of being leaden and lagging
in the face of PNM s pro-
duction, (though it s still less
than fully convincing prod-
uct-wise concerning lead-
ership.)
Further PNM consolida-
tion has come with JTUM
labour linkages and hints
that any divides might be
bridged by PNM s positive
attitude towards the Work-
ers agenda. Labour Minister
Errol Mcleod yesterday,
denying the PP had reneged
on implementing the agen-
da, noted that many of this
term s labour developments
from updating laws and
wage increases and to set-
tlement of other issues were
part of the agenda. Govern-
ment also threatened to
become the whipping boy
for Petrotrin s move to serve
an ultimatum on OWTU
head Ancel Roget---which
could have catapulted some
labour sectors into the
opposition---before McLeod
halted action yesterday.
In the face of PNM s Faris
Al-Rawi s view that "people
have made up their minds
already," PP communica-
tions minister Vasant
Bharath believes "people are
waiting" for the PP to play
its hand. Support for PP
performance in home turf
was so much in the majority
at Wednesday s TV6
Chaguanas Town meeting---
where host Fazeer
Mohammed reminded those
praising Government to
keep it short---was in stark
contrast to last year s Port-
of-Spain Town Meeting on
PNM turf where Govern-
ment was criticised.
PP s considerations now
hinge on timing including
for rollout of its plans, sub-
sequent polls and other
variables including external
factors. The latter includes
the economy, oil price fluc-
tuations, PNM s candidates
and policies, plus internal
factors including possible
outcome of probes. DCP
Harold Phillip says the "wit-
ness tampering" allegations
by PCA director David West
against former AG Anand
Ramlogan "are still actively
engaging my attention."
Another issue---the
Alliance of Independents---
meets next week with the
ILP, Steve Alvarez and plans
inviting the NAR to talks,
says AI s Joe Pires. He said
the group, working to
launch a party soon, hasn t
concretised with any parties
or people, and independent
candidates Jowelle De Souza
and Phillip Alexander aren t
part of the AI though talks
were held with Alexander
initially, but he went solo.
Pires said AI hasn t talked
to the two "as yet" but has
identified about eight east-
west Corridor seats and one
in south to contest but has
no candidates yet.
PNM CANDIDACY, PP ALLIANCE ISSUES... It's Your
Write
Campaigning
from the pulpit
My experience during this
year's Paschal Triduum, com-
monly termed Easter Triduum
culminated in my psyche re-
maining in a state of being dis-
combobulated.
From the onset of the vigil
of Good Friday to the conclu-
sion of Resurrection Sunday,
every service attended at three
different Roman Catholic
parishes in my location re-
volved around a verbal insur-
rection against the
Government.
It appears to be their notori-
ety as of late. One employed
euphemisms and allegories
when making references to
mishaps and shortcomings of
this regime; another used
veiled references; and one was
just overt and blatant, leaving
me mentally oscillating as to
where I was and purpose.
Wasn't this three-day period
supposed to be sacrosanct pe-
riod in the church when we re-
call the passion, death, burial
and resurrection of Jesus?
Why desecrate a temple of
the Lord by descending into
the political fray? Clerics are
expected to be the pillars of
morality, ambassadors of
ethics, paragons of virtue and
lead by words and deeds as
they oversee flocks of young-
sters who have impressionable
minds.
My spirituality is perturbed
by this continuous onslaught
by men of high standing in the
church who take every oppor-
tunity to jab at the Govern-
ment in church, public spaces
and our weekly Catholic News
publication! What is the
agenda?
Disgusted and disenchanted
with the political landscape for
over 10 years now, I stand on
impartial footing to ask, where
was the vociferous and at
times vituperative condemna-
tion by Fr Harvey and His
Grace Archbishop Harris when
acts of impropriety against the
former administration found
its way in the public space?
Where were the marches,
silent protests against the
malfeasance that obtained?
Moreover, if we are publicly
condemning and speaking out
against all forms of wrong-
doing, shouldn't we start with
our own houses first?
SH,
Marabella
Fr Clyde Harvey
among Bobolees
from Maraval?
I was taken aback, nay puz-
zled, horrified and grieved to
see that Fr Clyde Harvey was
numbered among those in the
group from Maraval portrayed
as a bobolee.
My understanding is that
the portrayal represents "a
Judas," one who has betrayed
his/her leader, party, organisa-
tion, etc. So I asked myself, in
what circumstance has Fr Har-
vey done a betrayal?
Was it his visit to the
Kubalsingh camp during the
latter's fast? Was it his walk in
front of the Red House re-
cently? Was it his comment on
the changed status of the
Christian community? Was it
his view on Church-State rela-
tionships?
On all of these I came up
with a negative response,
which did not surprise me as I
have been formed in my theol-
ogy by the great Latin Ameri-
can RC Theologian, Gustavo
Gutierrrez.
Perhaps the Maraval group
who placed Fr Harvey in the
same camp as Judas might
help me to understand the rea-
son(s) for this travesty of jus-
tice.
Easter blessings.
(Bishop) Clive Abdulah
Fort George, St James
GAIL ALEXANDER
gmmalex@gmail.com